New Business Models Help Provide A Better Customer ‘Experience’

Mary serves as the editor of Shop Owner and ImportCar magazines and has worked on several custom publishing pieces for some of the major automotive OEMs throughout her 27-year career at Babcox Media. Her unique perspective of the automotive aftermarket allows her to tailor the content of custom pieces to deliver our clients’ message with impact to a target audience. As an integral part of the Babcox editorial team, Mary assists with many other duties, including corporate communications and digital media properties.

Ride-sharing provider Lyft recently announced its partnership with the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association (NIADA) to help improve the customer experience at dealerships, provide a new way for drivers to get on the road and help auto dealers increase their sales through referral opportunities.

NIADA member dealerships can sign up to be a Lyft referral partner and receive bonuses for each driver they refer. Customers who sign up for the program will also receive a bonus shortly after they begin driving for Lyft, which they can put toward their down payment and monthly costs of purchasing a vehicle.

Why this reference to a dealer program? Another tier of the program, called “Lyft Concierge,” helps NIADA dealers improve their customer service experience by requesting rides on behalf of customers. It’s an easy and reliable way to help customers get to work, home or their next errand while their car is being serviced. Plus, it could serve as a less-expensive option to maintaining a large fleet of loaner cars.

You could immediately apply this concept to your business, as an alternative to a customer loaner car setup you may already have in place. It also illustrates how you can leverage “thinking outside of the box” to deliver an optimal customer service “experience.”

1. Service is the name of the game. Customers have too many choices today for everything they want to buy. When you deliver service that is second to none, you will become your customers’ “first call” for ongoing vehicle repairs.

2. You need to be a “solutions” provider. Customers need their vehicle fixed fast, right and be able to go on with their day. The more ways you can ease that burden, the more they will reward you with repeat business and abundant referrals.

Think about how many other areas of your business could benefit from taking a traditional way of doing things and applying a new twist.